Book Review: Lord of the Flies
Lord of The Flies by William Golding
Introduction
As a child I would close my eyes and dream of magical adventures in a fantasy world. With this allegorical novel, William Golding brought my childhood imagination back to me. Below is a review of Lord of the Flies written in 1954. About the plot
In Lord of the Flies, the action takes place in the midst of a nuclear war. A group of British boys find themselves stranded, without adult supervision, on a tropical island of the Pacific Ocean after the crash of their plane. Waiting to be rescued, the boys try to govern themselves and to form a culture similar to the one they left behind them.
The author placed supposedly innocent schoolboys in the protected environment of an uninhabited tropical island to illustrate the point that savagery is not confined to certain people in particular environments but exists in everyone.
Characters’ importance
Each character represents one side of human nature. Ralf stands for common sense and leadership, Jack for power and violence, Roger for the desire to torture, Piggy for intellectualism and maturity, Simon and Samneric stand for the desire to please and innocence. These main characters are important to show how well-educated children can regress to a primitive state.
My thoughts
Lord of the Flies has left me with a new and fresh outlook on the world. I really enjoyed the way William Golding manages to drop subtle hints and include symbolizes throughout the story. It’s not a completely straightforward novel but it has double meanings behind everything. As a result, I think this book appeals more to adults with a good reflection abilities than children.
Introduction
As a child I would close my eyes and dream of magical adventures in a fantasy world. With this allegorical novel, William Golding brought my childhood imagination back to me. Below is a review of Lord of the Flies written in 1954. About the plot
In Lord of the Flies, the action takes place in the midst of a nuclear war. A group of British boys find themselves stranded, without adult supervision, on a tropical island of the Pacific Ocean after the crash of their plane. Waiting to be rescued, the boys try to govern themselves and to form a culture similar to the one they left behind them.
The author placed supposedly innocent schoolboys in the protected environment of an uninhabited tropical island to illustrate the point that savagery is not confined to certain people in particular environments but exists in everyone.
Characters’ importance
Each character represents one side of human nature. Ralf stands for common sense and leadership, Jack for power and violence, Roger for the desire to torture, Piggy for intellectualism and maturity, Simon and Samneric stand for the desire to please and innocence. These main characters are important to show how well-educated children can regress to a primitive state.
My thoughts
Lord of the Flies has left me with a new and fresh outlook on the world. I really enjoyed the way William Golding manages to drop subtle hints and include symbolizes throughout the story. It’s not a completely straightforward novel but it has double meanings behind everything. As a result, I think this book appeals more to adults with a good reflection abilities than children.